[B]The Hobbit is an upcoming film series consisting of three epic fantasy-adventure films directed, co-written and produced by Peter Jackson and based on J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel of the same name. The films are, by subtitle, An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Desolation of Smaug (2013) and There and Back Again (2014).
The series will act as a prequel trilogy to Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy and will star Ian McKellen, reprising his role as Gandalf, Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug.[3] Several other actors will reprise their roles from The Lord of the Rings, including Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Elijah Wood, and Orlando Bloom. Also returning for the production are a significant part of the production crew: among others, co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, illustrators John Howe and Alan Lee, art director Dan Hennah, and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie. As with the original trilogy, props will generally be crafted by Weta Workshop and visual effects managed by Weta Digital. Additionally, composer Howard Shore, who wrote the score for The Lord of the Rings, has confirmed his involvement in the first two parts of the film project.[4] The most significant new involvement in the trilogy is the participation of Guillermo del Toro, originally chosen to direct the films, as co-writer.[/B]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOGsB9dORBg